What's Your Coaster Philosophy?

[Coaster Cow]

Alrighty:

I've noticed through such entertaining premises as I305 and other controversial rides that people obviously have different ideas of what is good in an amusement park. This thread is the place where you get to share what you believe makes a coaster/park good, through anything as deep as discussing the effect of a ride of one's personality to anything as shallow as saying you like loop-de-loops. It's an excuse to throw your big-headed coaster egos out to all, whether you only ride wooden coasters with the original profiling and trains or if you can't stand trimmed coasters meant to rely on speed.

 

I'll start:

I personally find that the experience is vital in a ride. What kind of atmosphere the park puts out to you will change your riding experience. This closely follows the ideas of Disney Imagineers and their sense of perfection in detail of everything they do. Rides like the Indiana Jones attraction would not be the same if the entire queue was just a long tunnel to the station. This applies to coasters, too. It's like the difference between Kumba and Bizzaro or Scream. It just affects all aspects of the experience.

[CorkscrewFoley]

Well with my coasters, they have to have the loop-de-loops, and the circles too...(You walked right into that one)

 

Atmosphere is important, as with location...for me, I tend to be drawn to parks that are situated on bodies of water. I love the theming in a park, but if the park also has a very laid back feel--I too love that. As for coasters, I firmly believe that you can make a great coaster with anything 120 feet and under...This applies for wood and steel...Also now because of PR, I love a coaster that uses the terrain to its utmost potential...

[FeelTheFORCE]

I'm more of a thrill-seeker. I like parks like Cedar Point, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Six Flags Great Adventure, etc. I'm like Dick Kinzel in that I'll sacrifice theming for more track. One exception, however, is Universal Orlando, one of my favorite parks. I REALLY want to go back there. Don't get me wrong, I like theming and have nothing wrong with it, but I doubt I'll return to any Disney Park until I have kids.

[mightbeawannabe]

I think that a good coaster needs to be suited to the park. It has a similar theme, atmosphere, and experience that is in the style of the park. You wouldn't expect to find a B&M Megacoaster in a family park in the foothills, so it sticks out like a sore thumb. Now, if it's a terrain woodie in that park, it wouldn't look so out of place. You would expect a high thrill ride from a mainstream company but if they built a small coaster, they might be looked down upon. But, they can also turn that little coaster into a kick a$$ ride to fit the park (ROTM )

 

So in short, the ride's gotta fit the park.

[slither37]

My main thing is if the coaster is fun.

 

I guess that is most important. This is why i like some coasters that others do not. I would rather ride Maverick and Magnum over TTD at CP. (usually that is due to the line, but still, it is fun over thrill for me). I find MF is a great balance of both as well.

[Stevo1091]

What I look for the most in a coaster is how well it's designed. Do the camelbacks actually produce airtime? Are the helix's forceful? Does the first drop make your stomach come up in to your throat? That kind of stuff. I also love coasters that are themed. Walking through a queue that's heavily themed gets me psyched up for the ride and even if the coaster isn't that fantastic, the themeing makes up for it.

[CardCraze]

I always liked theme, thus I always liked the Universal Coasters (with the exception of Rip Ride Rock It). What good is it to name a coaster with some crazy name such as "Stallion" if the que is simply a que. Essentially, as crazy as this may sound, I like rides that tell a story.

[Solid Gold]

I've noticed that I'm really keen on parks and rides with natural beauty, mature trees are a big plus. SFGADV was a total surprise in terms of the beauty and shade of the park. I also enjoyed Nitro much more than Goliath SFOG, not necessarily because of airtime(Goliath is assuredly more forceful), but because of the location. Nitro is off on it's own and goes out towards a lake, Goliath sits unsightly above Scorcher and the entrance roads.

[the ghost]

I really like parks like Disneyparks, because the rides are not necesarily thrilling, but they are themed so well that I love them all. I also really like unique rides, do rides like Riddlers Revenge and Tatsu are pretty high on my list. Also, it does not necessarily bother me if a GIANT ride like Millenium force is not themed, but if there is a ride like a mine ride it had better be themed.

[cal1br3tto]

Apart from actively visiting theme parks and riding, 'philosophy' is my absolute favorite aspect of coastering! Therefore, this post will be very long, and not necessarily what you were looking for.

 

--I absolutely enjoy rating, ranking, comparing, reviewing, judging, etc. Some say it takes away from the fun of coastering, but to me it is entirely part of the fun.

--However, how I judge and rank rides actually does come down to how much fun I have.

Basically, I primarily judge based on thrill factor and airtime, because both of those usually make a ride "fun" to me.

--I love to count credits and to credit whore. I always try to ride every coaster possible.

--I love lists and statistics of all sorts, both personal and collective, factual and opinion-based.

--Theming and setting play a healthy role, but aren't everything. I largely judge based on how I physically felt on a ride.

--I am first and foremost a coaster enthusiast. I am also a park enthusiast, but that is secondary. I can appreciate any and all ride locations, even the most ghetto of amusement parks and carnivals. However, my favorite park is easily Disneyland. I judge parks partly based on coaster collection, but largely on atmosphere and experience.

--I am also a ride enthusiast, but coasters nearly always come first. I sometimes skip rides I would probably enjoy.

--I will admit I am biased toward classic wooden coasters, and coaster history absolutely fascinates me.

--I can't help but be very saddened by the loss of coasters, parks and rides. That's just how I am.

--I strongly prefer shared lap bars, especially without seatbelts. Extra points if they can only lower to one position.

--I genuinely love airtime; the more intense or extreme, the better!

[mwm1444]

I personally don't understand the general enthusiast obsession with intensity (my equilibrium isn't great, so that may be why) - but I love airtime. To me, the attractive thing about 'coasters I like is the sensation of flight..whether they're flying, inverted or sit-down, oddly enough. So, I generally prefer out-and-back 'coasters, since they provide the sense of a journey. I don't ride most launched 'coasters or shuttles, so that screws my attempts at building a huge credit list, but I still creho with the worst of them.

 

However, if a 'coaster's themed, I'm probably in heaven.

 

Mike 'a weird kind of enthusiast' Moody

[Wes]

Have fun and don't take everything so seriously.

[DBJ]

Mine is guest comfort should be the priority.

 

A line where you don't boil in the sun. Some kind of entertainment in the q - whether or not that is theme, or monitors, or live performance. A single rider, fast pass, Q bot, etc., line that remains separate from the main line all the way until boarding. Dual loading stations where applicable. Restraints that are comfortable.

[rcg19]

Deleted by user

Edited December 29, 2010 by rcg19

[the ghost]

Have fun and don't take everything so seriously.

 

Amen!

[Skycoastin Steve]

I'm a stickler for operations (obviously since I work in operations). Slow/lethargic/nonchalant/rude/annoying ride ops get under my skin quicker than anything else. A friendly staff goes a LONG way, as well (Holiday World). As far as rides are concerned, I like to have some degree of comfort on a ride, but I realize that my height can restrict that at times. I don't really have a set list of criteria for what makes a ride enjoyable, other than how much fun I have while on it. Things like theming can make a ride more enjoyable (Splash Mountain) or make it suck horribly (Bizarro at SFGAd). Turning a ride into a grand experience (a la Disney, Universal, SeaWorld) can make an average/good ride even better. However, none of this is necessary. All I want is to have fun on a ride. Really not too complicated!

[tiger01]

I love parks that lack in Concrete walkways and car park coasters! I love a good Wood theming to a park! There is a park down in Devon UK Which I have fallen in love with because of its three crazy waterslides! Not much of a park but there is a bobsleigh coaster and it has very friendly staff! Heres a link to there website:http://www.woodlandspark.com/

[cal1br3tto]

Things that often don't bother me

--Roughness. It hurts, but I kind of overlook it in favor of judging other factors.

 

Things that bother me, but don't affect how I rate a ride

--Bad guest service or operations. To me this has absolutely nothing to do with the ride experience. It doesn't cause me to rate a ride low in order to 'dis' a park or anything.

 

Things that may or may not influence how I rate a ride

--Lack of theming/appealing setting. I don't know why I'm so split about this. I just am.

 

In the end, as I may or may not have suggested in my earlier post, it comes down to two things.

1. Just plain fun, caused by my ride and park experiences.

1a. The fun that comes from obsessing over my views of ride and park experiences. This may seem negative to others, but is completely part of the fun for me. If it weren't, I would phase it out.

[BaMiTsPaT]

I love visiting parks I've never been to before, so naturally I like going into coasters with that excitement! Also, I love any form of airtime and the sensation of speed on a coaster. I don't care if the coaster is the most intense or not, but I do like them on the smoother side. That being said, I have a soft spot for great wooden coasters such as Boulderdash and Imo Ghostrider (must have gotten lucky that day).

I also love theming. Theming in the queue and station are some of the most important parts of a coaster experience for me. They are the reason why Dueling Dragons ranks so highly on my list. Good theming makes the ride experience really standout, and in my opinion much better. Theming throughout the ride also make a ride better. I love coasters like Bizarro at SFNE (minus the headrests and loud audio) and even Big Thunder Mountain at Walt Disney World because the theming throughout the coaster experience adds to the fun and re-rideability for me!

 

Just my thoughts

[tiger01]

I also love theming. Theming in the queue and station are some of the most important parts of a coaster experience for me.

 

Yeah, Theming makes a coaster more fun and exhilarating. Like Nemesis (To be Ridden in the summer) The near miss rocks and the blood river, creates a mood that you will crash into it! It's Simply part of the fun!

[Gerstlauer1]

Theming is one of the most important things, in a park.

 

I love to go to a park and be amazed of the theming and atmosphere, Parks like Port Aventura, Disneyland, and Universal Studios.

 

I rather wanna have 2 extreme themed coasters, than i wanna have 17 coaster placed on some land with a confusing zig-zag queue line.

 

But that is just my opnion

[J man]

I really like just being able to escape my life and reality for a day or so and just be transported somewhere else. Theming is essential for me. Bare bones rides with little to no Theming don't really do much for me. They may be fun rides and offer thrills but in what context? I'm sure this is why I love the Disney parks so much. No one does Theming quite like they do. I can appreciate thrill parks too like Magic Mountain. But I always find myself drawn more to the themed areas.

[Sir Clinksalot]

Honestly, and maybe this is because I'm getting older, but it's not really all about the tallest-fastest ride anymore. It's not really even about trying to ride "the most coasters".

 

It's about going to a park and having a nice time with friends and family.

 

So I guess what makes it a good park is if I can spend 8-10 hours in the park, have a generally stress-free experience and everybody who I'm hanging with has a good time. That's it. That's all I really ask for. I also think this is why I'm fine with Fastpass and FlashPass, less waits = less stress.

 

Even during the past couple West Coast Bash's, I don't think I rode any 1 coaster more than 4 times. I think we rode Terminator 4 times, Colossus 3 times (when it was racing). In fact, I don't think I even rode every coaster in the park that day (I know we didn't ride Revolution for sure).

 

And because of that, maybe that's why I'm really not big on traveling just to ride coasters anymore. Sure, I want to do a TPR trip and I know I'd have an absolute blast (and we ARE doing one next year for sure) but even that would be more about the experience of doing the trip, hanging out with cool people and meeting all new cool people.

[VF15]

For me, roller coasters and parks are about thrills and having fun. Similar to what cal1br3etto said on the first page, I'm a coaster enthusiast first and a park enthusiast second. I can enjoy the charm and theming of a park, but roller coasters are my main draw. I enjoy a variety of coasters, but my favorites are always the intense ones that push the limit. When I go on a ride/to a park, I always try to find the good in it, even if it's a coaster/park that's generally considered bad by most enthusiasts. For example, on rough coasters, usually there are still a few aspects of that ride that I enjoyed, and even though most people consider Six Flags parks to be too YOLO-ish, I find myself liking Six Flags' atmosphere to an extent. I am more critical of a ride than your average park-goer, but I try to not take it seriously to the point that it gets in the way of having fun, the main point of this hobby. I think Wes put it best:

Have fun and don't take everything so seriously.

Edited December 24, 2014 by VF15

[prozach626]

Mild themeing with large beautiful roller coasters. Roller coasters stand alone as something to marvel at. I don't need my roller coasters overly garnished with geeky decorations to make them exciting. I'll save Disney for when I have kids, because all of that BS does nothing for me. For a living I chase crackheads, see dead bodies, and deal with continuous drug addict related BS reports. AKA: There is no such thing as magic.

 

For me, a perfect example of a well rounded experience is King's Island. KI has a good collection of well maintained roller coasters, fresh paint, and decent landscaping priced just high enough to keep the problem crowd out, but low enough to where I can experience the full package without breaking the bank. As for the picturesque roller coaster with just enough themeing without being over the top; think Diamondback. Banshee is neat, but it's pretty much at my themeing threshold. For me, there's nothing like having a few beers and riding quality rides, without feeling like I'm 12.